DRYING AND UTILIZATION OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO AND CUCURBITA MAXIMA) FLESH FLOUR FOR COOKIES PRODUCTION

Abstract

Pumpkin has high nutritional content, but it remains underutilized in Ethiopia. The shelf-life extension of pumpkins is hard which leads to high postharvest losses. As a result, this research was proposed to change the pumpkin fruit into shelf-stable flour and to open the way to use it for food use: cookies. In this study, in the first phase, pumpkin flesh was dried into flour; then, in the second phase, the pumpkin flour was tested for its utilization for cookie production. The study subjected to two pumpkin varieties (Cucurbita pepo (V1) and Cucurbita maxima (V2)) flesh slices to three drying methods: sun drying, oven drying, and solar drying in full factorial design. Both the varieties and drying methods influenced the proximate, vitamin composition, functional properties and sensory characteristics of the pumpkin flour. The ash, protein, fiber, fat, carbohydrates and energy content of the first variety was 8.31%, 10.04%, 11.03%, 1.85%, 55.98% and 292Kcal/100g while the second variety had 6.11%, 13.03%, 13.36%, 0.99%, 65.06% and 309Kcal/100g. Except the fat and ash, the remaining compositions were significantly influenced by drying methods. Compared to the two varieties, the second variety contain significantly higher β-carotene and vitamin C content with a value of 5.34and 45.85mg/g, respectively, and oven drying was the best method to retain them compared to the remaining drying methods. The variety and drying methods significantly influenced all the functional properties. Unlike the varieties, the mineral composition of pumpkin flour was not affected by drying methods. The sensory acceptability attributes of cookies prepared from both varieties were acceptable, although the control scored better acceptability, but from the drying methods, cookies from pumpkin flour dried under oven drying method were significantly preferable in all attributes compared to the other two drying methods. In conclusion, the utilization of pumpkin flour for food production is possible, and the flour can be used by the food industry, such as bakeries and confectionary, as ingredients for various products. In addition, changing the pumpkin fruit into flour can extend the product's shelf-life.